Solar system

Multiple obstacles might make it hard for NASA to turn its dream of ice giant exploration into a reality any time soon

The “absolutely monstrous” cosmic blast is estimated to be a one-in-10,000-year event

TRAPPIST-1b is probably an airless rock, but the same may not be true for its six Earth-sized siblings

A new study suggests that ‘Oumuamua, the mysterious visitor that whizzed through our solar system in 2017, may have been merely a small comet from another star

The discovery highlights a need for future missions after NASA puts one on hold

Preliminary estimates suggest that a 50-meter space rock called 2023 DW has a roughly one-in-600 chance of colliding with our planet in 23 years

Booming exploration and commercial activity could ruin the quiet, astronomy-friendly environment of the lunar far side

A fresh analysis of tree-ring data suggests barrages of cosmic radiation that washed over Earth centuries ago may have come from sources besides our sun

New studies have revealed the spacecraft’s final moments and the remarkable aftermath of its impact

Surging numbers of small research balloons increase the odds of airborne mistaken identity—and harsher regulations

The new ngRADAR at the Green Bank Telescope offers unprecedented Earth-based views of the solar system

A new European mission is the first of two spacecraft—with the other coming from NASA—that will hunt for signs of habitability on Jupiter’s icy moons